Police were called out to a 999 call after a mysterious bright stationary object appeared in the night sky over the valleys.

The police have recorded the calls as a moment of genius – you can hear them here.

It goes something like this:

Control Room: “South Wales Police, what’s your emergency?”

Caller: “It’s not really. I just need to inform you that across the mountain there’s a bright stationary object.”

Control room: “Right.”

Caller: “If you’ve got a couple of minutes perhaps you could find out what it is? It’s been there at least half an hour and it’s still there.”

Control: “It’s been there for half an hour. Right. Is it actually on the mountain or in the sky?”

Caller: “It’s in the air.”

Control: “I will send someone up there now to check it out.”

Caller: “OK.”

The mystery was soon solved, as the exchange between control and an officer at the scene, makes clear.

Control: “Alpha Zulu 20, this object in the sky, did anyone have a look at it?”

Officer: “Yes, it’s the moon. Over.”

Fantastic, but the police are using it to highlight that 999 should only be used in EMERGENCIES, unlike:

• The caller who rang asking for help when they wanted to vote for Rhydian on the TV programme X-Factor (she needed locking up if you ask me!)
• The caller that wanted a pound for their shopping trolley (have they not got one of those keyring pound things?!)

Instead of saying “South Wales Police, how can I help?”, control room staff now say “South Wales Police what is your emergency?”

Since the change, they have reported a 10% drop in 999 calls.